Look Who's Talking

DNA, Fertilization, Reproductive System -- opening scene. I actually haven't watched this one lately, but someone reminded me of it recently, so I thought I would add it. Make sure you preview it for appropriateness.

Bio-Dome

I had to look awful hard for this one. Be very careful. But at 28 minutes the scientist explains that putting talapia in the rice patties to fertilize the rice.

Arachnophobia

Biodiversity/Importance of Rainforests: The opening scene a couple of minutes in shows the scientists fogging a tree in the rainforest to collect specimens, looking for new species. In my Zoology lass in college we learned about Terry Irwing fogging trees in Panama, and increasing the estimate of species. This scene is awesome though you may need to preview it and determine when to turn it off, because there may be a moment later in the scene that is too intense for you students.

Yes, Vin Diesel Again -XXX

I know that some of my movie choices are not typical possibly, but I love movies and I can relate so many concepts to biology. I think it is awesome when my students come to me because they have seen something in a movie (that they were watching entirely for pleasure) that reminded them of something they learned in biology.

Complex biochemistry - C 2 ~ 4:30 min
Inductive/deductive reasoning in diner scene (but they say hell) C 5 ~ 12:30 min
Chemistry/water as solvent - when lethal gas get sucked into water and is broken down to be completely harmless - C 19 @ 1:17

The Pacifier

perfect body - C 6 ~ 36 min
Learn from song - C 12 @ 1:03 & C 14 @1:20

Ok, I may be looking for a reason to see Vin Diesel...

The Lost World: Jurassic Park 2

Amino Acids - lysine C 5 ~25 min
Pachycephalosaurus - C 6 ~35 min

House Bunny for Science?

I do not own this movie, but towards the end there is a scene that could be used to introduce subatomic particles and it contains a line that is somewhat like "I want to be your girlfriend more than an electron wants to be with a proton."

Senseless

There are many parts of this movie that are not appropriate for class, but some could be used.

The Senses - Ch 3 @ 15m

Site with clips

I found a good site, http://www.flickclip.com/index.htm. It has clips categoried with information it correlates to, as well as, questions to use in class. So now I am focusing on movies not included on the list.

Jurassic Park

Again I love Jurassic Park. I cannot even imagine how many times I have seen it. I have shown it in class a time or two after students told me they had never seen it, but there are many pieces that are capable of being tied into a lesson, or as a hook to pull kids in.

Reptiles/Birds dinosaurs related to birds/ raptor=bird of prey @ 6m30s in.
Cloning, DNA from fossils, Mr. DNA @ 24m
Imprinting @28m
homeothermic & hormones controlling sex - deny them that - @30m
observation: animal behvior & problem solving abilities - @3m
possible ramifications of cloning extinct org- plants @ 37m
Conservation: tour of "park" @42
sick triceratops @51m (watch for language "one big pile of S**t")
change of sex in single sex environment - amphibian DNA - @1h30m
Amino Acids - lysine contengency @ 1h32m scene 13

Nim's Island

I love Nim's Island, there are 2 parts that I think would be quick and easy to integrate into lecture.

Bioluminescence - scene with Jack/Dad discovering Protozoa nim
Protists - view into microscope talk of nanoprotists, even mentions the amount of protists/L of water.

Over the Hedge

I have shown this entire movie, with an assignment for the students to write a paper in which they classify the relationships between the characters as mutalistic, parasitic or commensalistic. Other tie-ins include: habitat fragmentation & hiberation.

Reptiles/Turtle Shells: Verne cannot come out of his shell - his vertebrae and ribs are fused to the carapace.

Evolution

Evolution is an awesome movie. I do not show the entire thing in class due to occasional inappropriate language and subject matter (cya), but there are some awesome scenes and lines. Ovbviously, many of the scenes can be used to illustrate evolution...

Cell Division - cells dividing at exponential rate under microscope
DNA - 10 based pairs ... all life on earth only has 4 base pairs- watch for language in this scene
Cells & Evolution - Single celled organisms --> multicellular organisms; "I am no biologist, but how many cells do single celled organisms have?"
Cells (KWL) - my uncle lives in a cell ...
Periodic Table & Problem Solving - carbon based life forms are to arsenic as nitrogen based life forms are to selenium
Reading product labels & ingredients - head & shoulders
Asexual reproduction in animals - worms splitting (fission)

more to come...

What I have been searching for ...

I am a 30 something Biology teacher. I am always looking for new ways to teach, reach and entertain my students. For the last several years I have been thinking about integrating movie clips into my lessons, and I am not talking about boring educational movies, but rather the movies that kids are watching on the weekends anyway. I am trying to show that biology is all around you. I have been looking for other sites to help me out, and I have finally given up and devided I would have to make my own. Please give me feedback and suggestions for movies clips you have used in your class.